B1.3 The use and abuse of drugs

Question 1

What are drugs tested for?

Answer 1

Toxicity, Efficacy, Dose

Question 2

Describe how drugs are tested

Answer 2

• Lab- using cells, tissues and live animals to predict how the drug may behave in humans
• Clinical trials- involves healthy volunteers and patients. Low doses of the drug are given at the start to check for unexpected side effects. If drug is safe, further clinical trials to find optimum dose for the drug.

In some double blind trials, some patients are give a PLACEBO. Doctors nor patients know who has been given it.

Question 3

What is a placebo and what does it do?

Answer 3

A pill which does not contain the drug. It rules out psychological effects.

Question 4

What are statins used for?

Answer 4

Lower cholesterol levels and the risk of heart and circulatory diseases

Question 5

What was Thalidomide developed as?

Answer 5

A sleeping pill

Question 6

What was thalidomide found to be effective as and why was this a problem?

Answer 6

reliving morning sickness

It had not been tested on pregnant woman. Babies born to mother who took the drug were born with LIMB ABNORMALITIES.

The drug was then banned. As a result, drug testing became much more rigorous.

Question 7

What is Thalidomide starting to be used for?

Answer 7

treating LEPROSY and other diseases

Question 8

Why do drugs need to be tested?

Answer 8

To find out if they are safe and effective

Question 9

Name some legal recreational drugs

Answer 9

Alcohol

nicotine

Question 10

Name some illegal recreational drugs

Answer 10

ecstasy

cannabis

heroin

Question 11

What are the side effects of nicotine and alcohol?

Answer 11

Nicotine- disease of the heart and lungs

Alcohol- effects the nervous system and slows down body reactions

Question 12

What is an effect of illegal recreational drugs?

Answer 12

edverse effects on the heart and circulatory system

Question 13

Describe what cannabis is and what it can cause

Answer 13

it is an illegal drug. Cannabis smoke contains chemicals that may cause mental illness in some people.

Question 14

What is a drug?

Answer 14

A substance which changes the chemical processes in people’s bodies

Question 15

Name 2 very addictive drugs

Answer 15

heroin, cocaine

Question 16

What are the 2 types of drug an athlete can take to enhance performance and what do they do?

Answer 16

Stimulants- boost bodily functions such as heart rate.

Anabolic steroids- stimulate muscle growth.

Question 17

Give reasons why people are against performing enhancing drugs in sport.

Answer 17

• it is unfair if people gain an advantage by taking drugs

- Athletes may not be fully informed of the serious health risks of the drugs they are taking

Question 18

Give reasons why people are for taking performing enhancing drugs in sport

Answer 18

• Athletes have the right to make their own decision

- Drug free sport is not fair anyway as diffident athletes have access to different facilities.

Question 19

Why do some people use recreational drugs?

Answer 19

enjoyment, relaxation, stress relief

Question 20

Some studies link cannabis and ….

Answer 20

hard drug use

Cannabis is a ‘gate way drug’

Question 21

In double blind trials, who will know who is given the placebo or drug?

Answer 21

neither the doctor nor patient

Question 22

Suggest information about legal drugs that would need to be considered before the classification of the drug was changed

Answer 22

dependency

side effects

Question 23

Why are drugs trialled?

Answer 23

to test for

dosage

toxicity

efficacy

Question 24

Suggest why legal non prescribed drugs have a greater impact on the health of the population than illegal drugs

Answer 24

more people use legal non prescribed drugs

legal non prescribed drugs are more readily available

Question 25

Why is it difficult for a person to stop taking certain drugs?

Answer 25

due to addiction